No Clint, but not surprising..........if we can't beat St. Vincent & the Grenadines without him then Jurgen has bigger problems.

I love seeing Jordan Morris on the roster, hopefully he'll sign with the Sounders soon. Been some rumors he might go back to Stanford for his senior year, but also rumors he might finally accept the Sounders offer.

Uncle Si wrote:We can hope that Ngabe and even Morris are the types of players Klinmann starts relying on. Clint's days should be numbered, and even that's a stretch.

I think deep down Jurgen would LOVE to start moving away from the older players like Clint (at least in the starting 11), but he's just too damn productive.

Jurgen knows if he's ever going to take the next step with the US Soccer program it'll be predicated on the potential of his younger players maturing and producing. What does "take the next step mean?" Idk, good question.

Uncle Si wrote:We can hope that Ngabe and even Morris are the types of players Klinmann starts relying on. Clint's days should be numbered, and even that's a stretch.

I think deep down Jurgen would LOVE to start moving away from the older players like Clint (at least in the starting 11), but he's just too damn productive.

Jurgen knows if he's ever going to take the next step with the US Soccer program it'll be predicated on the potential of his younger players maturing and producing. What does "take the next step mean?" Idk, good question.

Taking the next step would mean having dynamic, pacey players like Ngabe on your squad making meaningful impacts. I don't see Dempsey offering that much anymore, not the USMNT, atleast not through the next World Cup

I agree that its a tough cycle to go through with our player pool (I won't go into who is to blame for that) and tactical set up. I agree with Si, we are far to narrow of a team, and we lack team speed.

I feel that we have an up swing of players on the way, its just a matter if JK will ever get to field them. He has to win with what he has now, and with back to back failures (Gold Cup, CONCACAF Cup) I'm not sure he can afford to squeak by in qualifying.

I want to see more of Morris, Wood, Hyndman, Palmer-Brown and less of Jermaine Jones, Clint Dempsey and Kyle Beckerman.

There is youth in the program, we need to incorporate it at a better pace. We also need our youth getting club games. Going to big clubs means little if you can't see the field. I'm looking at your Julian Green.

SeatownJay wrote:So if the US loses on Tuesday, should Klinsmann lose his job?

Is it his fault?

You can fault his selection if you want, but no coach should be held completely liable for that. The issue here is again, the team is short on quality. They lack invention going forward, have yet to control a game with possession (although I suppose you can say they did that the other night) and haven't had a consistently strong back 4 in decades. This is a national problem, not a coaching issue.

But yes, if the US does not make the Hexagonal I believe Klinsmann should be moved on. Who takes over is another thing all together. I'm sure the USSF is happy to distance itself from him. He's contentious, combative and independent. He's exactly the character the USMNT needs leading its charges. However, he himself does not seem to have the acumen to make this work.

Will see I guess. I think the US wins easily on Tuesday. But, I think that just prolongs what will be inevitable at the end of the Summer.

I do not think Klinsmann will be leading the USMNT in the World Cup in 2018 when/if they make it.

Nice scoreline... i'd beg to differ on the quality of the game. 3 of the 4 goals were near accidents. But will say this.. better with the ball, and more concerted, attacking runs from the likes of Zardes (whose "assists" were just flukes but had some nice quality aside from that) and Wood, who just struggled to finish but was dangerous all night.

Result though, and great to see Pulisic make his debut.

Also, the U23s lost, so no Olympics. Bad for the younger players but I imagine that means we will see Morris back with the main team (as well as Acosta and hopefully Cropper)

Nice scoreline... i'd beg to differ on the quality of the game. 3 of the 4 goals were near accidents. But will say this.. better with the ball, and more concerted, attacking runs from the likes of Zardes (whose "assists" were just flukes but had some nice quality aside from that) and Wood, who just struggled to finish but was dangerous all night.

Result though, and great to see Pulisic make his debut.

Also, the U23s lost, so no Olympics. Bad for the younger players but I imagine that means we will see Morris back with the main team (as well as Acosta and hopefully Cropper)

It's amazing what can happen when the coach plays people in their natural positions.

Good players can play anywhere, something Klinsmann is probably used to in Germany.

However, he has a limited squad and assuming they can perform roles outside of any niche isn't playing to their strengths. It makes the USMNT very one dimensional. (I should edit... JK is very poor at setting lineups and tactics for games. Definitely not in doubt. My point is it should not have mattered against Guatemala, or any of the CONCACAF teams)

I admire what Klinsmann is atleast trying to do (In that he really believes he can upgrade development and create the nation's first Messi, Pogba and Ozil). Not sure he's the right guy going forward for this program at match level. But atleast he's attempting to be inventive at the developmental phase, something the nation has lacked since it started playing soccer.

There's a huge difference between both US men's and women's teams (ranking and play) ye they are governed by the same US Soccer governing body. Men's are average in rankings and play but the women's team has always been top or near the top. You can also see a more cohesiveness with women's team where men's are totally out of sync passing the ball and possession. It seems the strategy and tactics are more effective with the women's team and thus their results. Why is that? Maybe they should look at using a women's team coach to work with the men's team. Would be a problem if the coaches were the same from a tactics, fundamentals, and strategy perspective. It just night and day between both teams. They are both part of the same US Soccer Federation. So how can one be much more successful than the other? Compare their games and you'll see how better the women are at controlling the action while the men play so haphazardly.

I guess the answer lies in that article. Soccer is not taken as serious enough from a men's perspective. Until that happens, nothing will change on the world stage for US Soccer. Honestly, I think Gulati needs to leave and someone needs to come in to build US Soccer. What he has done is good but we need to do better. I'd like to see someone else take over as the head US Soccer even if it has to come from a foreign country. Maybe a separation of women's and men's might help. Since women's are a success let Gulati head that and get someone else to lead the men's side (executive perspective).

The differences between Men's soccer and women's soccer, in terms of success, are quite easy to pin point. It's not coaching, development, mentality...

Men's soccer jumped into a sport that had been developed for a century across the planet. US Women's soccer literally led the line and thus the development of the women's game. The men are truly trying to catch up to 100 years of development, the women started it and are waiting for the rest of the world to catch up to them.

US Soccer has hundreds of thousands of participants and more money thrown at it than people care to realize. It is taken extremely seriously. Without discussing the frailties of the men's system as a whole, the biggest issue is that the developmental program on the mens (boys) side has essentially reformed itself after 30 years. The womens side has had to do no such thing, as they again started at the very top.

hawkfan68 wrote:There's a huge difference between both US men's and women's teams (ranking and play) ye they are governed by the same US Soccer governing body. Men's are average in rankings and play but the women's team has always been top or near the top. You can also see a more cohesiveness with women's team where men's are totally out of sync passing the ball and possession. It seems the strategy and tactics are more effective with the women's team and thus their results. Why is that? Maybe they should look at using a women's team coach to work with the men's team. Would be a problem if the coaches were the same from a tactics, fundamentals, and strategy perspective. It just night and day between both teams. They are both part of the same US Soccer Federation. So how can one be much more successful than the other? Compare their games and you'll see how better the women are at controlling the action while the men play so haphazardly.

I guess the answer lies in that article. Soccer is not taken as serious enough from a men's perspective. Until that happens, nothing will change on the world stage for US Soccer. Honestly, I think Gulati needs to leave and someone needs to come in to build US Soccer. What he has done is good but we need to do better. I'd like to see someone else take over as the head US Soccer even if it has to come from a foreign country. Maybe a separation of women's and men's might help. Since women's are a success let Gulati head that and get someone else to lead the men's side (executive perspective).

Si hit it on the head, this has nothing to do with seriousness, the US Men's soccer program is as serious as cancer........which is why Klinsmann is the 10th highest paid national coach in the world.

This has to do with the US Women's program due to the US being one of the most progressive sports nations in the world when it comes to equality in youth and college athletics. We've had a 10 year head start on 75% of the world with women's soccer.

Look at the FIFA Women's Soccer rankings, it's not the same nations as the men's soccer powerhouses. It's all the progressive forward thinking countries that have allowed their girls and young women to play competitive sports from a young age.

Well without the international players it's just not an exciting list.

Good to see Aguadelo back and I like the inclusion of the young, dynamic wing backs from Dallas and DC. Also, Kellyn Acosta is listed as a mid and Zusi as a defender?

There are some exciting names in Trapp, Acosta, the two defenders, Lletget, Manneh, Nagbe and Morris. But it's really just a rehash of the same names/types of players. Which is unfortunate going into March. I'd like to see Ibarra back in the group now that he's signed with Minnesota.

He is clearly going to try and rely on vets to get the points in qualification. To be expected i guess. Hopefully if qualification is secured we see some more of the younger players.

I think part of including vets like Bradley and Jones on the squad is they can talk to the youngsters about what playing in WC qualifiers is really like. They can be mentors of a sort to the youngsters. Now, if he's playing all the old guys for the full 90 while the kids sit on the bench then I'll be upset.

SeatownJay wrote:I think part of including vets like Bradley and Jones on the squad is they can talk to the youngsters about what playing in WC qualifiers is really like. They can be mentors of a sort to the youngsters. Now, if he's playing all the old guys for the full 90 while the kids sit on the bench then I'll be upset.

Most the squad is aging vets though.. there's maybe 8 on that roster under 23. Plus, he has a whole week to invest these kids into what the USMNT is about..

Uncle Si wrote:But these are the best USMNT players the MLS has to offer...

So given that... why not bring up some more young players and see if they can offer something. We don't already know what Jermaine Jones, Bradley and Chris Wondolowski are going to provide?

It is what it is...

I told you when Arena was hired that he was going to play it safe and just try to get through qualifying, and veterans are the safest way to try to do that. Is it the best way? That's certainly up for debate.

The time for a youth movement is in between World Cup qualifying, like the Copa or Olympic cycle. Now it's all hands on deck.

Uncle Si wrote:But these are the best USMNT players the MLS has to offer...

So given that... why not bring up some more young players and see if they can offer something. We don't already know what Jermaine Jones, Bradley and Chris Wondolowski are going to provide?

It is what it is...

I told you when Arena was hired that he was going to play it safe and just try to get through qualifying, and veterans are the safest way to try to do that. Is it the best way? That's certainly up for debate.

The time for a youth movement is in between World Cup qualifying, like the Copa or Olympic cycle. Now it's all hands on deck.

Fairly sure we all knew that would be the case Sgt.

To see it on paper just shows how poor US soccer has been over the last few years. It's best players are under the age of 23 and for the most part playing overseas.

Uncle Si wrote:To see it on paper just shows how poor US soccer has been over the last few years. It's best players are under the age of 23 and for the most part playing overseas.

Isn't that a good thing? Isn't this what Jurgen wanted..............all our best young potential playing in the best leagues overseas?

To me this WC cycle feels like a lost cause, too many aging vets depended upon to play like they did in their 20's. I don't see that happening.

But the good news is what you said above, there's a lot of good young players already playing, and coming up through the system that should hit in 3-4 years.

Do we want Arena coaching them? Hell no, but like I said, he's just a placeholder trying to get this group to the WC, so unless he pulls off a miracle and gets us far in the WC, he isn't going to be the manager.

Is it a good thing that the only potentially good players the USMNT has are U23s playing in Europe?

Yes, in some regards it is good that the group has quality young players (lots of them) coming through and many of them are challenging themselves in the toughest leagues in the world. Jordan Morris... time to move on, son. England and Germany await. Liverpool are desperately after Pulisic. Wood is playing regularly in the Bundesliga. No one can objectively tell me Jordan Morris is not as capable and would not benefit as much by doing the same thing.

What is not a good thing was how poor the the US group was developed over the 8 years before it. Arena has not only illustrated that massive disparity in class but also his complete inability to understand the urgency of the cycle, not just the next 2 matches. He has a full week of training ahead of him and he has called guys in (Wondolowski? seriously?) to camp that have no need be there. None whatsoever. Hell, he could have replaced Wondolowski with Minnesota United's Christian Ramirez (as an example, or top prospect Jeremy Ebobisse) and atleast seen what a relative newcomer to US soccer may offer. Jurgen had the right perspective there. Arena does not.

I understand the balance that needs to be done here. You need to qualify for the 2018 world cup. and hopefully when they do they call on the players currently at the u19 and u23 stages to play in that tournmant, as they will be 2 years further down the road. But your camp does not need to have a bunch of late 20s/early 30s somethings littering it at the expense of some talented young MLSers who should be given the opportunity.

I would have preferred alot more balance of vets and young players than what I see here. Arena is tying himself to the next two matches. That lacks vision and perspective

Gboly Ariyibi recently signed for English Championship side Nottingham Forest. An under 23 player who Chesterfield should have sold before the start of the season. We turned down bids of around £1m and he got upset, refused to sign a new contract and went for much less in the Jan transfer window struggling for form.

UK_Seahawk wrote:Gboly Ariyibi recently signed for English Championship side Nottingham Forest. An under 23 player who Chesterfield should have sold before the start of the season. We turned down bids of around £1m and he got upset, refused to sign a new contract and went for much less in the Jan transfer window struggling for form.

Is that a step up for him?

Unfortunately the change in leadership at the USMNT will probably delay call ups for younger players

UK_Seahawk wrote:Gboly Ariyibi recently signed for English Championship side Nottingham Forest. An under 23 player who Chesterfield should have sold before the start of the season. We turned down bids of around £1m and he got upset, refused to sign a new contract and went for much less in the Jan transfer window struggling for form.

Is that a step up for him?

Unfortunately the change in leadership at the USMNT will probably delay call ups for younger players

So I was watching the FA Cup match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester City this weekend and the announcers mentioned Huddersfield manager David Wagner as being worthy of consideration as manager of the USMNT. I'd never heard of the guy before but it appears he's a German-American who played for the USMNT (8 caps) in the mid to late 90s. He currently has Huddersfield in contention for promotion to the PL. Anyone here have any more info on him? Would he be a good fit or is he just a bargain bin version of Klinsmann?

SeatownJay wrote:So I was watching the FA Cup match between Huddersfield Town and Manchester City this weekend and the announcers mentioned Huddersfield manager David Wagner as being worthy of consideration as manager of the USMNT. I'd never heard of the guy before but it appears he's a German-American who played for the USMNT (8 caps) in the mid to late 90s. He currently has Huddersfield in contention for promotion to the PL. Anyone here have any more info on him? Would he be a good fit or is he just a bargain bin version of Klinsmann?

Anyone is better than Bruce Arenas....wouldn't mind giving Wagner a shot. Arenas already had his and was fired for a reason.

He'd be a gamble, but may be the very reflection of what a few people (myself included) on here would want for the program. He's young, ambitious and innovative. Worked with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund (and considers him his mentor) and now has a team in the Championship near the Premier League.

The timing of his name seems perfect as well. Arenas is going to get this cycle of the USMNT, regardless. However, as the World Cup nears, if all goes well, Wagner will have had atleast one year of Premier League managing experience on top of everything else. He may be very well positioned by then to take the reigns (if he would be willing to give up club coaching).